Grammar I
INTRODUCTION In this course we will be going over basic grammar mistakes, as well as how to avoid them. This lesson will focus primarily on commonly misused words, phrases, and contractions. The second course will go over some of the finer points of grammar and usage. While this seems like it shouldn’t really be an important aspect of creative simulation writing (after all, as long as you write a good story, it’ll be fine, right?), rest assured that it is indeed important. It’s hard for a reader to enjoy a story if there are glaring errors every other sentence, and it will put off players to the point that eventually they’ll seek to write elsewhere. To avoid this, follow the guide below, and you will be on the path to creating a great story. A large majority of the following can be rectified by using a grammar/spell check on a word processor, but these are often not built into forum or nova software, which is most likely what you’ll be using to post on your sim. However, in the instance that you can’t, here are some basics for you. DON’T TYPE LIKE YOU TEXT It has become relatively commonplace to speak to others via IM and text by shortening and contracting many of the words in our sentences to use less space. This certainly has a point when communicating in that manner, but it is not appropriate when writing creatively. Look at the examples below: Captain Branch looked across the bridge at his crew, the glowing pride obvious on his face. He said, “Well ''done. I’m extremely proud of each and every one of you. This is probably one of the most difficult things I’ve ''ever done, and I’m happy that you, my friends, are here to help me through it.” Cpt Brnch lked @ his crew + sd “GG guys. Ttly proud of u. This is rly hrd, glad ur all here.” Which one of these would you be willing to put up with if you just bought a novel? Is the bottom example painful enough to your eyes to almost give you an aneurysm? If so, then you’re on the right track. If you don’t find anything wrong with the bottom paragraph, then as harsh as it is to say, you likely have no business writing creatively. THE MOST COMMON WORDS YOU NEED TO STOP MISUSING These are some of the most commonly used words in the English language that will cause you the most grief when you misuse them. They are also some of the most frequently misused words in the English language, so it’s important that you know their proper usage rules. Their/They’re/There There’s a reason this combination is first. This trifecta of words that are all pronounced the same give most people the most grief. THEIR Posessive, meaning it refers to owning something. :: “The Crew of the USS Albatross stood defiantly on their bridge, watching as the Breen ships came to a full stop. It was only a matter of time before these elusive enemies began beaming their boarding parties aboard.” THEY’RE This is a conjunction of the words “They Are.” :: “They’re going to be very upset once we beam a photon torpedo onto their bridge.” THERE This refers to a place or idea. :: “Look over there! There’s a giant space turtle!” Going along with these are THERE’S and THEIRS. Theirs is the possessive form of their, and there’s is a contraction of “there is.” You’re/Your These use the same rules as they’re and their. YOU’RE Contraction of you are. :: “You’re going to do really well!” YOUR Indicative of possession. :: “Your sim will be a great addition to Bravo Fleet!” Loose/Lose LOOSE The opposite of tight LOSE The opposite of winning Too/To/Two TO To is a preposition, used for expressing motion or direction towards a thing, point, person, or place. It is the opposite of from. :: “Are you going to Scarborough Faire?” TOO Too means also, as well as, or in addition to. :: “I really want to go to Scarborough Faire too!” TWO Two is a number. It follows One (1). :: “I’ll have two tickets to Scarborough Faire!” Its/It’s These two are a bit more difficult, as they are exactly the opposite of what you’d expect. ITS Possessive. Notice that the possessive form does not have an apostrophe. :: “Its huge, gnarled fangs were dripping saliva and blood.” IT’S A contraction of “it is.” :: “It’s really fun learning how to speak English properly!” Whether/Weather WEATHER Describes the climate in a specific location :: “How is the weather in downtown Houston?” WHETHER Used to introduce the first of two or more alternatives. :: “Whether or not it’s hot in Houston, we still have to go.” Than/Then THAN Used for comparison :: “There is nothing better than Saurian Whiskey!” THEN Used to describe time :: “Then, they fired phasers.” Effect/Affect For the most part, the following is the case: EFFECT Is a noun, meaning it is a thing. :: “They rammed their ship into the other, to great effect.” AFFECT Is a verb. It’s a “doing” word. :: “We aren’t affecting their way of life at all.” LET US NITPICK The following are equally as important but far more nitpicky. Keep in mind that it is still important for you to know the proper uses of the words and phrases below. Who and Whom WHO Subjective pronoun, along with he, she, it, we, and they. It is used when the word acts as the subject of a clause. :: “Who loves you?” “He loves me.” WHOM Objective pronoun, along with him, her, it, us and them. It is used when the word acts as an object of a clause. :: “I consulted a fellow captain whom I met at the Academy.” The rule of thumb here is to try replacing who/whom with another pronoun and seeing if the sentence still makes sense. Which and That The easiest way to explain these is to give you examples with the explanations underneath them :: “I don’t trust fruits and vegetables that aren’t organic.” Here I’m referring to all fruits and vegetables that aren’t grown this way, meaning I only trust them, and restrict all others. :: “I recommend you only eat organic fruits and vegetables, which are available at your local store.” In this case, you don’t ONLY have to go to your local store to get them, but they are available there. WHICH qualifies. THAT restricts. Lay and Lie This is the bright sparkling gem of all grammatical errors. Luckily, it doesn’t really come up all that much in simming. But in case it does, here we go! LAY Lay is a transitive verb. That means it requires a direct subject and one or more objects. Its present tense is lay (I lay the pencil on the table so that I can find it later.), and its past tense is laid (Yesterday, I laid the pencil on the table, and now I can’t find the thing!). LIE Lie is an intransitive verb. That means it needs no object. Its present tense is lie (The Andes mountains lie between Chile and Argentina) and its past tense is lay (The man lay waiting for an ambulance). Are you confused yet? Rightly so, it’s confusing. The most common mistake occurs when the writer uses the past tense of the transitive lay (I laid on the bed) when he/she actually means the intransitive past tense of lie (e.g., I lay on the bed). Moot Contrary to popular misuse, the word moot doesn’t mean something is superfluous or superficial. It means that a subject is disputable or open to discussion! Example: The idea that the crew rotations aboard the USS Fox should be switched from 3 eight hour rotations to 2 twelve hour rotations was a moot point for the senior staff. Continual and Continuous They’re remarkably similar, but there is a definite difference. CONTINUAL This means that something is always occurring, with obvious lapses in time. :: “The continual music from next door made studying incredibly difficult for the poor freshman.” CONTINUOUS This means something that continues to occur without any stops in between. :: “His continuous talking prevented the girl from being able to concentrate on the task at hand.” Envy and Jealousy ENVY implies a longing, but not a need, for someone else’s good fortunes. JEALOUSY tends to be a fear of rivalry. Envy is when you covet your friend’s charming looks and killer smile. Jealousy is what happens when your significant other is swooning over your very attractive friend. Nor Nor literally means “and not.” You are obligated to use this word if you use a negative followed by another negative. “Neither the men, nor the women were intoxicated.” (Something else that’s fun: Nor is also the second name for most Cardassian Space Stations! Terok Nor, Empok Nor, etc.) May and Might MAY Implies that there is a possibility of something. MIGHT Implies that there is far more uncertainty. “If you drink 3 drinks in ten minutes, you may get drunk.” In this sentence, there is a real possibility of drunkenness. “If you operate a tugboat while intoxicated, you might get a ticket.” In this sentence, might implies that the possibility is far more remote. Whether and If WHETHER As we learned above, whether describes a condition where there are two or more alternatives. :: “I don’t know whether or not I’ll be leaving the house tonight.” IF If expresses a condition where there are no alternatives. :: “I can leave the house tonight if I finish my coursework.” Less and Fewer LESS Less is reserved for purely hypothetical quantities. :: “The firm is less successful now that we only have seven employees.” As you cannot quantify success in numbers, this is purely hypothetical. FEWER Few and fewer are things you can quantify. :: “The law firm of Hax, Cutz, and Burrys has fewer than ten employees.” Ten is a quantifiable number, and there are fewer than ten presently employed. Further and Farther FARTHER This word implies a measurable distance. :: “I threw the ball ten feet farther than Bill!” In this sentence you can effectively measure the distance discrepancy between the two. FURTHER This word should be used for abstract lengths that you can’t always measure. :: “The financial crisis caused further implications.” This sentence is less measurable and more abstract. Since and Because SINCE Since refers to time, and only time. :: “Since I stopped going out all the time, I get much more accomplished!” Time. BECAUSE Because refers to causality. :: “Because I stopped going out all the time, I no longer wake up in my own vomit!” Causation. Disinterested and Uninterested Contrary to popular use, these words do not mean the same thing, and aren’t interchangeable. DISINTERESTED This word means impartial. UNINTERESTED This word means you could not care less. Anxious Unless you’re utterly terrified of them, you shouldn’t be “anxious” to see your friends. This word means a looming fear, dread, or anxiety. It doesn’t mean you’re looking forward to something. Ever. Impactful This word is an entirely made up buzzword. Don’t ever use it. Irony and Coincidence IRONY The use of words describing something other than their literal intention. COINCIDENCE A black fly in your chardonnay, a death row pardon 2 minutes too late, and everything else from that stupid song. Nauseous Contrary to common use, to be nauseous doesn’t mean you’ve been sickened. It actually means you possess the ability to produce nausea in others. When you find yourself disgusted by something, you’re actually nauseated. Conclusion: A lot of this may seem incredibly nitpicky, and a bit daunting. Keep in mind that what we’ve gone over here are simply basic usage rules. These are the most commonly misused words and their correct usage. Please move on to Grammar II